News

Move, Learn and Discover: IOC Recognised FAI celebrates Olympic Day

As a proud International Olympic Committee (IOC) Recognised International Sports Federation, the FAI joins sporting organisations around the world in celebrating Olympic Day - an international initiative designed to promote fitness and wellbeing, as well as the Olympic ideals of Fair Play, Perseverance, Respect and Sportsmanship.

Introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on June 23, 1894, Olympic Day promotes participation in sports of all kinds regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.

Nowadays, the event is based on three pillars: Move – getting physically active; Learn – sharing Olympic values; and Discover – encouraging people to try new sports.

It is around these themes that the many events organised around the world, including fun runs, meet-ups with top athletes, and exhibitions, are conceived.

In Germany, for example, the Olympic and Sports Museum in Cologne is organising 1km and 3km Olympic day Runs, as well as Paralympic activities and an exhibition including hands-on workshops covering topics such as health and doping.

The FAI and the Olympic Movement

Located in the Olympic Capital of Lausanne, Switzerland, the FAI, World Air Sports Federation, is delighted to be part of the global Olympic Movement.

Its role as an IOC Recognised Federation involves furthering aeronautical and astronautical activities worldwide, ratifying world and continental records and coordinating the organisation of international competitions.

The advantages of IOC recognition are numerous.

They include IOC patronage for FAI events, annual support through the IOC Recognised International Federation Development Programme, and affiliation with the Olympic Movement educational, medical, scientific and anti-doping initiatives.

The FAI’s IOC status also has major benefits for its member National Air Sports Federations, which are affiliated to their country’s National Olympic Committees as a result, meaning they can receive government subsidies and conduct internationally recognised championships.

It makes FAI and its Member Organisations part of the Olympic Movement.

The FAI’s Olympic Story

The FAI has held its place at the heart of the Olympic Movement since 1985, when the IOC recognised it as the governing body for air sports on a global level.

The decision marked the 80th anniversary of the federation, which has been certifying world aviation and space records and overseeing air sports since 1905.

And the FAI’s Olympic Story continues to go from strength to strength, notably thanks to its recent partnership with the Olympic Channel.

Other exciting developments on the horizon include a project to propose indoor skydiving for inclusion in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

So watch this space, air sports fans!

The FAI and the Olympic Channel

The FAI began collaborating with the Olympic Channel – a global platform where fans can experience the excitement of the Olympic Games all year round – in 2016.

This partnership, made possible by the federation’s IOC status, led to a variety of FAI competitions being beamed into homes around the world during the course of last year.

Highlights of the coverage shown during 2017 included stunning – and occasionally hair-raising – live images from the FAI World Indoor Skydiving Championships in Canada and the FAI World Swoop Freestyle World Championships in Denmark.

With lots more thrilling air sports competitions being covered throughout 2018 and beyond, it’s a fantastic opportunity for the FAI to reach even greater numbers of future air sports fans.